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GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT

July 28, 2017

Colonel Steven C. McCraw

Director
Texas Department of Public Safety
P.O. Box 4087
Austin, Texas 78773-4087

Dear Director McCraw:

I am writing to request that you retract your letter of July 20, 2017, which notified local law
enforcement agencies of the need to charge a fee for use of the Department of Public Safetys
(DPS) crime lab. DPS crime lab is vital to the public safety of Texas. It provides expert
analysis and testimony of physical evidence collected at crime scenes around the state. Under no
circumstances will I allow the 13 crime labs that DPS operates across the state to be
underfunded. However, I firmly believe it is premature to charge a fee at this time.

Although a fee is authorized by statute, a proper reading of Rider 58 does not mandate that DPS
charge a fee for the use of its crime lab services. Rather, the rider appropriates the use of up to
$11.5 million in fees collected should DPS decide to charge a fee. The rider also appropriates
nearly $63 million in additional money for the operation of the crime lab. Those dollars are not
contingent on charging a fee and ensure the crime lab will operate at full capacity well into the
next biennium.

I also understand that, without the appropriated receipts, the Texas Legislature effectively
appropriated DPS nearly $12 million less for Fiscal Years 20182019 than for Fiscal Years
20162017. Whatever the Legislatures ultimate intent was for including Rider 58, I have no
doubt that the Legislature did not intend to underftmd DPS crime lab. I am confident that they
are as committed as I am to ensuring the crime lab continues to provide first-rate forensic
analysis to law enforcement across the state.

Sincerely,

Greg Abbott
Governor

POST OFFICE Box 12428 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78711 512-463-2000 (VoicE) DIAL 7-1-1 foR RELAY SERVICES